Osmotherley Phoenix 2014

This is an event I keep coming back to. I have done 33m route twice and the 26m route once, two years ago when Melanie did her first marathon. The plan was to do the 33m, her longest official race (The Ultimate Trail 50K last autumn race turned out to be longer than 33m).

It was clear that it was going to be very hot day with only a slight breeze which we didn't get the benefit of very much. It was good to see Jason T and Nicki no miles before the start, we hadn't expected to see any people we knew. The event was sold out as usual.

We started slowly uphill out of the village which meant that we had to dodge round walkers once we started to run. Then it was the familiar climb up to the radio mast on the Cleveland Way, down to cross the road and along to Scugdale. I have lost track of how many times I have done this particular section of the Cleveland Way, but I am not bored by it, it still feels lovely. More tiring is the climb up to Carlton Bank and the steep descent to Lordstones. At this point the 17m route cuts off and one the great things about this event is that you can decide when you get to the checkpoint which route to take. We were both fine, so the 33m was what we continued with.

After Lordstones there is a choice, you can go up over the three sisters (including the Wainstones) or contour round. We have always contoured round, there are more than enough big hills in this event. This year there seemed to be more people doing the three sisters which surprised us a little.

On to Clay Bank and then the slog up the other side to eventually reach the trig point which is the highest point on the North York Moors. We run this area on the Wainstones marathon a few weeks ago and it was good to run down a downhill section we had slogged up last time. Down into Chop Gate and the 17m checkpoint there at the Village Hall, where the Wainstones marathon had started. We spent a little longer at this checkpoint, putting on more suncream and preparing ourselves for 'that hill' the one that hits you straight away. It is just so long and steep and to get that after 17m is just a killer. I had to take a couple of breaks in the climb up and I was concerned about an attack of cramp which I seem to get climbing big hills well into races on hot days. I made it over the most difficult bit, but then the cramp hit, a juddering pain in my right calf. Having just recovered from my second calf injury of the year and two long races in the next two weeks, it felt like preservation was important, so I slowed down.



We discussed what to do and we agreed that at the 20m checkpoint where the 26m and 33m routes diverged that I would do the 26m and Melanie would do the 33m. She had the route on her garmin, a map and the route description so although she was a bit anxious about getting lost, off she went. I walked most of the way back, I knew I was going to be back way before her and I didn't want to do any more damage.

I chatted to a few people, a Swede who had not realised how hilly it was going to be and had also transferred to the 26m route and a two of women doing their first ever marathon.

Got back and relaxed, consumed two pints of shandy and then at just over eight hours Melanie came in. She had made one or or two minor errors but her watch had told her when she went off course. However, she had a bad headache from the heat and half wished she had also done the 26m, but she was also pleased to have done the 33m route at least once. This was her 31st marathon/ultra in the two years since her first marathon. In that time she has also had an operation and had to take time out because of a stress fracture. 31 events in two years is just amazing !

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/U9nTvhf6abPXCMUh7

Hardmoors Rosedale marathon 2014

We did this one last year and of the marathons in the Hardmoors series that we have done, we considered this to be the easiest. It starts through undulating countryside and a few quiet roads until it gets up onto the moors and then there is a long drag upwards to the 10m point at Blowarth Crossing, a windswept junction familiar to many Hardmoors runners. Then there is relatively flat section along old railway lines before a short climb to an isolated pub (the Lion Inn), then down to more railway lines, followed by a plunge down to the valley and a steep climb up the other side, back to an old railway line. The final downhill 3m includes short sections of quiet road, but is mainly on paths across the moor.

There was an alteration to the route from last year, the steep climb came at about mile 18 rather than 20. Not much difference really, but I think it wasn't quite as steep as last year. This led me to think that this year I wouldn't get any cramp issues after the climb, but it did happen again. Not sure why, I had been taking S-caps regularly, drinking a reasonable amount. 

It slowed me down a bit, but it wasn't as bad as last year and I finished about 8 minutes earlier which was pleasing. Melanie went on ahead at mile 22 and flew along the remaining 5.5m - Hardmoors marathons are well know for being a bit long.

It was a good day for running, cloudy but you could see for some distance, so there were some lovely views down into Farndale and Rosedale. A nice breeze on the tops.

One of our clubmates, Anita D, chose this to be her first marathon. She only completed a Couch to 5K programme less than a year ago and see forgot her running shoes for this event, so she ran it all in sneakers. She finished, a great achievement 

Brathay Windermere marathon 2014

After the Keswick Mountain Festival marathon Melanie spent some of the evening looking at youtube videos about how to tape up her knee. I tried not to get cramp, but failed at this...

I woke up feeling much better and ready to run, it is amazing what a good night's sleep can do. Melanie wasn't too bad, but she wanted to try the K-tape. We went to Brathay and found some tape to buy and I tried to put it on as per the video. It wasn't as easy as it looked to avoid getting kinks in the tape, but I got it on with some minor kinks. Neither of us had a great deal of faith. As it turned out her knee was fine all the way round. Could have been coincidence, but you never know ...

We saw the awesome 10 in 10 runners including Rentboy and Kaz and lots and lots of Fetchies and one other clubmate from Durham. It was clear it was going to be another hot day, but at least the route is pretty shady.

We decided to run separate races for this one as we knew we would probably run out of steam at different places. Melanie gradually pulled ahead but I found myself catching her gradually after Hawkshead and I caught her at about 6m when she had stopped to stretch. We then ran on for about 5m together. After that I slowed a bit and she disappeared and I didn't see her again.

The traffic was much lighter on the way down to the bottom of the lake which was good. The third quarter I always find hard, not just because of the undulations, but because of the traffic. There is no pavement, the road is narrow and two way traffic means that cars are passing very close to you. It was slowed down by convoy cars going up and down at 20 mph, but it still felt risky. However, this year the organisers had made it largely one way (though there was less traffic going south so maybe that was restricted as well), which made an enormous difference. Not sure how they achieved this, it must have affected lots of people, but hats off to them, it was great.

My running of this section was poor though, the after effects of the previous day, poor training and the heat were taking their toll. It thought I might try for sub 5, but I missed out by just under 2min. I wasn't disappointed, on Saturday afternoon I couldn't even see myself starting ! Melanie had a much better second half than I did and came in with 4hr 38min, a great performance on her first double 

My eighth time at this one and I will definitely be back, it has such a lovely atmosphere and it is beautiful 

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/okVHndszceVtUmqa6

2013 blog : Lisrun: Brathay Windermere marathon 2013

Keswick Mountain Festival 42K 2014

As usual we had entered the Brathay Windermere marathon for this weekend. Then we came across this event and we looked it, ferry across Derwentwater to start, all off road, up to Honister, down to Buttermere and then up the Newlands valley back to Keswick. Melanie was keen, but I pointed out that is was a day before Windermere. And then I said, well we could do both ... and as it was some months away and I think Melanie quite fancied doing a double, it was agreed !

It's almost three years since I did four in four days and maybe I was a little overconfident. Melanie had better preparation than me, we went out for longer runs the day after our last three marathons and I didn't manage the last one (half marathon distance) because of too much work. Ah well, nothing else to do but to give it a try.

It was a fully marked course and we obtained a GPS of all three routes (there was a half and 10k), redrew it, downloaded it to our Garmins and we were ready. We arrived at the landing stages at Keswick and there were thirty eight runners (fifty had registered). There are thirty nine people in the results and I think the last person started late. The vast majority of the runners were under forty, male and looked very fast. I could see us being at the back and soon after the start we quickly lost sight of the main field. We did overtake one runner, but I don't know whether he finished. We did come across some of the main field who took some wrong turns, but they soon quickly disappeared again and after the first checkpoint we didn't see any other runners.

The route was marked every 200m with red flags (an enormous effort for so few runners) and we ran down the lovely east side of Derwentwater and on to Grange. Shortly after the campsite at Grange we were presented with a dilemma. The main path clearly went away from the river and that is what I had plotted and downloaded to our Garmins. However there was a flag showing the way alongside the river and further along, another one. Okay, its that way. However, no more flags, so we decided that someone had moved them and cut back to the main path. A little later a group who had gone much further than us along the river and got wet feet, caught us and went onward. Just outside Rosthwaite there were more moved flags. The organisers had warned us this might happen here, so we followed the route on our watches and started the long slog up to the slate mine at Honister and the first checkpoint.

Then it was another slog up the dismantled tramway (it was a clear day and the views were great) and then down into Warnscale Bottom. We had hoped for a runnable descent, but it was rocky and full of loose stones. It was beyond our capabilities to run down that and we got to the bottom with shaky legs from having picked our way down. Then a lovely run round the west side of Buttermere, into the village. It was very warm by this stage and it was starting to take its toll.

Then another climb away from the road round the shoulder of Rannerdale Knots (fantastic views of Crummock Water !) and then a plunge downwards to the road again just past Hause Point and the second checkpoint and halfway. We were carrying two bottles of water each and with the heat and scarcity of checkpoints, I am so glad we decided to do this.

Then we went up into Rannerdale. The organiser said there was a surprise here and it turned out to be thousands of bluebells. I normally expect bluebells to be in woods, but there were none here, they were just out on the fell. Amazing.

We continued upwards alongside Squat Beck and then contoured round Whiteless Breast. Although this was downhill, the path was slanted down the hill so it made for very uncomfortable running, especially for Melanie who had sore ankles going into this event.

Then it was another contour round Bleak Rigg. At the start of this is a steep climb and at this point I realised I was in trouble. I had to stop walking to recover. I have never had to do that before in an event. It was probably the heat with no shade. We had caps on and had re-applied sun cream but the relentless climbing and heat had got to me. Melanie suggested dipping my cap into the becks we were crossing and that worked well. However, at that point my mind was saying to me - it would be crazy to do Windermere tomorrow, you will be lucky to come out of this without heatstroke.

We continued up the totally deserted Sail Beck Valley, no roads, just birds and the sound of water. Just lovely.

Got the top of pass between Sail and Ard Crags and then another testing descent into the Rigg Beck valley. This time there was less rocks, but it was steep and loose rock. I managed to lose my footing once and ended up on my ass, but no damage done and finally it became more runnable and we came to the third checkpoint near Birkrigg. Then some quiet road and southwards down the Newlands Beck valley (between Maiden Moor and Hindscarth) down the east side and back up the west. Then along the base of Catbells towards Skelgill and after that the final checkpoint. Most of this was runnable, but I had very little left so it was run/walk for this section.

Then Silver Hill, Fawe Park, through Portinscale and the Cumbria Way and back to the finish at Crowe Park in Keswick. Seven hours. I have never broken that barrier before ! Definitely the toughest marathon I have done. Beautiful route and I am so glad we did it, but I am not sure we shall be there next year ...

My legs were cramping most of the evening and Melanie's knee was very sore, so it wasn't looking good for Windermere the next day, but I have been like that before and I know a good night's sleep can make the world of difference. Melanie's knee was a little more worrying.

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/dx4VNgLQjdJjMxpG8

Valleys and Views 26m 2014

After running the inaugural Hartlepool parkrun on Saturday, we then drove down to Stamford, a place neither of us had been to before. What a lovely place. We wondered around, drank coffee, ate a meal and just relaxed. Definitely worth a visit.

Then on to Corby to spend the night before the main event of the weekend, the Valleys and Views, an LDWA event. This had three different distances and we had opted for the 26m route. This event was a little unusual because there was no route description issued before the event and no map available either. So we had no idea where we would be going. On arrival at registration at Wilbarston Village Hall, we received a route description and there was a map on the wall with the route marked. We marked up our map (which we hardly used) and waited for the start (runners weren't supposed to start until 10). However, we found out that the reason for runners not starting until 10 was to ensure that the checkpoints would all be open for the runners. As we wouldn't be running fast, we set off at 9.20 roughly - our starting time was recorded and off we went on our own. A lovely way to start.

The course wasn't marked at all and we largely navigated using the excellent route description. It was a very undulating route, almost all off road. Sometimes the path was indistinct and sometimes it went straight through fields of crops. One particular field was full of oil seed rape about a metre and half high. As we approached it we could see the bobbing heads of runners in a mass of yellow. Quite a bizarre sight. We assumed there must be a wide path, but it turned out to be very narrow and you almost had to brush aside the rape to get through. Melanie loved this section.

There were three checkpoints. The event details said there would be basic refreshments, but there was more food than we expected. Also each checkpoint had lollipops which Melanie could not resist (this was definitely an event in which to discover your inner child)

It took us a bit over 3 hours to get to halfway, but we speeded up in the second half and finished with 5hr 48min. Often you get a meal at the end of LDWA events, but this time we had to pay extra for food. The entry fee for this event was only £4 so this seemed more than reasonable ! Egg on toast was available for £1. The bar in the village hall at the end was also open which was a bonus. There were a few people I knew from the marathon circuit running this event and it was good to chat

A lovely run and well worth the drive down from Durham.

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/M3ZMHoXBXDS7Y9sc8

Hardmoors Wainstone marathon 2014 - my 100th

It was great to see so many Striders at Chop Gate on Sunday for this event. The weather turned out to be better than forecast with only a couple of light showers while Melanie and I were out there. Without a doubt, this was one of my toughest marathons. The first twenty five yards from the village hall were flat, then it was straight into one of the steepest climbs on the route. It took us 23min to cover the first mile. The first half was very tough, with six biggish hills. At halfway it felt like we had run a marathon already. The second half was a little easier, two biggish hills and two long drags upwards. The drags would have been runnable if our legs had not been so trashed from that first half.
 

There was some great performances, particularly Paul coming in third overall having started near the back with the rest of the Striders. Jules and David were next in, followed by Andrew Thompson (who has hardly run at all in the last four months). Then Melanie (completing her 25th marathon in less than two years !) and myself (gaining my age category prize as there was no other v60s running). Then Sue showing her usual determination and grit. George and Anne came down to watch and Phil was marshalling and Anna was helping with registration and giving out the medals. Anita and Mark did the 10k although they arrived after we had started and finished hours before we got back.

People had gone to a lot of trouble to acknowledge that it was my 100th marathon and I was very touched. Somebody had put notices around the village hall, it was acknowledged at the briefing and I was given race number 100. Somebody also arranged a card and got people to sign it. It was all a bit overwhelming.

Running wasn't a major part of my life until 2003. When I joined the club in 2005, I was of the mindset that at the age of 54, I was too old to contemplate running a marathon. However, I soon realised there were members of the club who were older than me and running marathons. I also started to learn more about running marathons through the running website fetcheveryone.com where I record my training and races and have met many of my running friends.

I heard stories of the London marathon but as I had completed the Great North Run many times, the thought of a crowded race in a city did not appeal. Then a club member, Colin Blackburn I think, sent round an email about a marathon that was being revived, the Windermere marathon. I think this was in October or November 2006. The thought of running round a lake was much more appealing and May 2007 seemed a long way away, so I entered. May 2007 came round and I was on the start line having completed a training plan ! It all went amazingly well until 22 miles when I started to struggle, but I made it to the finish. My children were there to watch and I uttered the words 'Never again'. I saw a few people with 100 marathon club tee shirts at that race and could hardly believe anybody could run that many marathons.

I didn't run any more marathons in 2007, but once 2008 dawned I forgot the pain of the training and those last 4 miles and entered Windermere again, plus one or two other marathons. I also got a last minute place in London with ten days notice. And since then, it built up to 2011 when I did 30 marathons or ultras. I have cut back a bit since 2011.

I aim to keep running marathons and short ultras. Achieving 100 marathons to me is just passing a milestone by the side of the road, I want to keep running long distance events - I enjoy them, they keep me fit and I don't have to train for the events if I do them regularly. I am a poor trainer. I probably won't get great times doing it that way, but I am not motivated by obtaining personal best times. I have done one sub-4 marathon (Blackpool) and I am happy with that. Our next marathon is in less than three weeks and we have a double planned for May, so there is lots to look forward to !

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/pf5SuGjdGnFSzhve9

NEMC Handicap marathon 2014

The North East marathon club specialises in cheap marathons. When they were being formed about five years ago, there were no marathons in the North East. There are now plenty of marathons in the area, but the club survives as its prices are low for its no frills events.

George Routledge

The cost of entry to the club itself is just £8 and included in that is a discount for entry into the club's races and today's marathon was for members only and was free to enter. There was also a free buffet afterwards and all finishers received a medal. A bargain !

Today's route took us from the South end of South Shield's promenade and up onto the Leas (familiar to many people as that is the finish area for the GNR). The route followed the coastal path past Marsden Grotto and Souter lighthouse to a car park where there were drinks. A slightly different way back across the Leas and back to the start, where there were more drinks and bit of food. Repeat another three times.

I was expecting it to be pretty flat as I have run round there before in events such as Pier to Pier and the South Shields parkrun, but on shorter races you don't notice the undulations. Melanie and I were fine with them on the first two laps, but I noticed them more on the third lap and I was very aware of them on the final lap !

The weather wasn't great, fairly thick fog which never lifted. It was also pretty cold as Phil Owen found when he came to give us some support - thanks Phil !

I tried out some baby food in sachets as a new approach to fuelling. Not a success, I felt a bit sick after the second one. Melanie also didn't like them.

A small field, but everyone was very friendly and waved as they went by. The route wasn't marked, though we had written instructions, but many people weren't looking at these and managed to go wrong. We made one minor error on the first lap, but we still ran more than marathon distance.

Melanie did well on her first marathon since her stress fracture on 1 January and as she was feeling fresher than I was, she went on ahead on the final lap and came in with 4h 33min. I did 4h 51min.

Shame about the weather, it would have been great to have seen more. This was my 99th marathon, which is hard to get my head round. My 100th and Melanie's 25th will be next Sunday at the Hardmoors Wainstones event.

There will be more than just gentle undulations at that one ...

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/9cpGxUM5d1T3XSDr6